Chapter 30
carrying capacity
The dishwasher clicked shut with the finality of a completed quest. Callie dried her hands and turned just in time to hear Cam announce from the hallway, “So…I was thinking…maybe I’d stay out later with the guys tonight? We’re just grabbing food and doing that movie marathon thing at Gabe’s place.”
Callie arched an eyebrow, mock-serious, “Define late.”
Cam peeked around the corner, expecting his mother, but Callie stood there, hands on hips, fully expecting an answer, “Oh, cool.” He smiled seeing her. “Perfect answer.”
His lips twitched, “Like…midnight?”
“That’s tomorrow,” Callie deadpanned.
“I know,” Cam said with a wink, “That’s why I’m asking tonight.”
Callie crossed her arms with the confidence of a woman given clearance to negotiate.
“Check in by ten.”
“You’ll be in the hot tub by ten.”
Callie heard him, then nodded as the idea took off in her head. “Maybe,” she said, squinting. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear your voice.”
“You mean you want a warning before I walk in and scar myself for life?” Cam gave her a look.
“Okay, fine, yes, call or text when you’re on your way. I want a good, solid buffer of fifteen minutes to exit any…compromising positions.”
“Ten forty-five check in,” Cam confirmed, backing towards the door, keys in hand, “I know how you get when you’re in that way.”
Callie’s jaw dropped.“Excuse me?”
Cam just grinned and said, “Love you.”
“Midnight,” she yelled after him.
“I said that twenty minutes ago.”
The door closed, and the house exhaled. Callie turned, already grinning, and padded into the living room where Jess was lounging barefoot on the couch.
“Cam’s out till midnight,” Callie announced. “And on the bright side…he brought up the hot tub.” She plopped dramatically into Jess’s lap, “We’ve got all evening.”
Jess’s brow rose, “Excellent.” She traced one finger along Callie’s thigh. “Should I get a knife?”
Callie flinched, “Jesus, what?”
Jess smirked, “Meat and cheese board, Wine.”
“Oh,” Callie blinked. “Right. Obviously.”
Jess leaned in, murmuring, “In the hot tub.”
Callie’s jaw dropped and hung, “Naked?”
“Towels handy,” Jess said with a shrug, “but birthday suits for sure.”
Callie grinned like a teenager, “You filthy romantic.”
Steam curled around them as they sank into the hot tub with the grace of exhausted goddesses. Jess reached over to adjust the cheeseboard precariously balanced on the edge, while Callie popped a grape in her mouth and moaned dramatically.
“These are so juicy it’s rude,” she said, “Like, this should be illegal.”
“Did you bring grapes just so you could do that?”
Callie held up another, took the paring knife, and cut it neatly in half, then held it up to Jess’s breast. She squinted, very seriously.”
Jess blinked, “Are you sizing my nipples?”
Callie nodded, “Trying to find a match. Purely scientific.” She held the little half-dome close, “Pretty close.” Her brow arched, and she wiggled the tip of her tongue over the modified piece of fruit, then sucked it into her mouth. She pointed, “Any…symbiotic reaction?”
Jess snorted into her hand, “Well…let’s see.” Raising up in the tub, then swirled her fingertips over her nipples, cupped her breasts, only to roll her nipples with her fingertips. “Not that I can tell…you?”
“God…” Callie cleared her throat and blushed, then smiled, “Never, in my wildest dreams did I even imagine the day would come where I would get to see you do that.” Her eyes rolled, “I imagined a lot of stuff, oddly never that.”
She grabbed her wine glass. “I propose a toast.”
“Oh, hang on,” Jess smirked, still clutching one of her breasts, “Great idea. Hey, refill?”
Once their glasses were touched up, Jess resumed positioning her hands. “Ready?”
“In all categories, my love.” Callie lofted her glass toward Jess’ chest, now on full display, elbows back, pushing the boundaries. Callie’s eyes darted between Jess’s chest and her wine glass, “You know, they are similar to this glass.” Callie rotated the glass, her voice syrupy with sophistication, “Wow, this is a really nice glass.”
Jess gave her a look, ‘You sound like you just discovered Target.”
Callie ignored her, “Did you know…” She paused, angling her glass back to Jess’s chest, ‘That in France, they say the first champagne glass was modeled after Marie Antionetts’ boob?”
“That’s…that sounds fake.”
“Fake as these,” Callie said, cupping her own breast, then pivoted, pointing the glass at Jess like a courtroom exhibit, “But this? This could be your royal boob.”
Jess’s brow angled, “You want to drink out of my tit now?”
Callie’s jaw dropped, then again, “You never use that word. Frankly, I’m shocked.”
Jess shrugged and tipped her glass up, “God, Cal…your tits are spectacular.” Jess gave her a look. Unrepentant. Loose-limbed from the wine, but laser-focused, “I’m tipsy, and you’re glistening, and I want to lick wine off your chest. Adjust your expectations accordingly.”
Callie leaned forward, “Say it again.”
“Tits.”
Callie squealed, and two of the neighborhood's dogs barked in response, and she snorted, “Well, now I’m drunk.” She leaned back against the tub and started to giggle. “Will you call me at work, or just let it go to voicemail and say that? I’ll be your friend forever.”
Jess grinned, “That can be arranged.” Her head tilted, “Surprised you didn’t, I?”
“Yeah,” Callie beamed, “this is so much fun.”
They settled for a moment, exchanging comfortable grins. Callie was chuckling when she caught a look from Jess, “What?”
Jess’s eyes were traveling across Callie’s arms and shoulders, then her chest. Jess’s head cocked, and she nodded after surveying Callie’s body. “Jess..are you okay?”
Callie got a scoff in response to her concern, “I could so bench press you.”
“Huh?” Callie blinked, then looked at Jess’s glass.
“Oh, I’m fine. Yep, I bet I can lift you right off the floor.”
“Lies,” Callie barked back, fearful though slightly intrigued, “I’m wiggly. The bars at the gym don’t wiggle. I do. I’m anti-aerodynamic.”
“That’s half the fun,” Jess returned, then stood up, the water racing down her body, giving Callie a high-relief view of Jess’s chest and shoulders, then the tone of her stomach. She flexed her thigh muscle, then her biceps, “Let's do this.”
Given the multiple choice views, Callie downed the rest of her wine, “Are we talking my ass over your shoulder and just…walk off?”
“No, I want to carry you, like a threshold bride. Or a weapon…or both.”
Callie snorted, but Jess’s expression beckoned. “This was hot. I’m warning you. I’m wiggly.” Callie looked down to see the last few rivulets of water run between Jess’s legs, “And…slippery. Getting real slippery.
Jess stepped out of the tub and reached for Callie.
“Same.”
The same dogs barked again.
“Don’t drop me.”
Jess stepped forward, all muscle and unholy calm. “I won’t. I can fondle you and open the patio door at the same time. Multi-talented.”
“Oh God.”
Jess bent over, and in one swift motion, Callie was over Jess’s shoulder. Shrieking and pounding weakly on her back as Jess made a slow, taunting circle on the patio, Callie was stunned.
“You’re doing it.”
“I know. Told you.” Jess’s free hand slid up the back of Callie’s thigh.
“Jess…oh my God…you’re fondling me.”
“Not a lot of resistance, Babe. You weren’t kidding about slippery.”
Callie groaned and squirmed while Jess clenched Callie’s legs together. “Hang on,” Jess said, her voice vibrating on Callie’s hip, “Gotta get the door.” Moving her hand from Callie to the door, Callie moaned, and Jess laughed, “Brief non-invasive interlude.”
“Mmmm,” Callie hummed her approval as Jess’s fingers returned. She hung a left and half slammed, half dropped Callie onto the living room couch, then followed her down like a predator on vacation.
They tumbled into the cushions, arms tangled, breath catching. Callie’s eyes flickered briefly to the far corner by the TV. Her staff leaned against the wall, moonlight catching on the runes. Just for a moment, it glowed.
But neither of them noticed. Jess had barely lost contact, and Callie followed suit; soon, they were both locked in a mutual exchange. Callie pulled Jess down on top of her.
“You are so damn strong,” she whispered, “I don’t think I’ve ever been so turned on.”
“Told you I could carry you,” Jess said, trying to time her words with Callie’s fingers.
“I thought you meant emotionally,” Callie gasped.
Jess paused and grinned, “That too.”